Mizore plus Company
by pinesylvanray
Summary: Rez has been given a second chance, and he's on a mission. That's the easy part. The hard part is figuring out what the mission is. And then survive the mission. But wait, there's more... *Updated Monthly* *Rated T for some language, and some violence*
1. Afterwards

**Mizore + Company**

**Author's Notes:** This is a Rosario + Vampire fanfiction. It is technically a Death Note crossover, but that will have a very minor role in it. In fact, it won't even be mentioned once after the first chapter (I promise this). That is why I'm keeping it within the R + V category. Even if you have no knowledge of Death Note, this series should make sense, if you read past the first chapter. If you don't, that's your choice. Thanks for checking this fanfic out.

It follows the anime of both series, rather than the manga. It is of course an alternate reality setting. This means it won't always follow canon material. It takes place in the R + V universe, shortly after Capu 2's end, and episode 25 of Death Note ("Silence" being the episode title).

Also, to clear up beforehand, under no circumstances are my Original Characters to be used without permission.

**Disclaimer: **I obviously don't own Death Note or Rosario + Vampire, or any of the plot elements/characters/settings specific to those franchises.

* * *

**Chapter One: Afterword**

This Chapter is rated T.

Genres: Drama

All words written in italics are character thoughts.

* * *

L opened his eyes. Gradually, he became aware of his surroundings. He was lying on what seemed to be a bench. Slowly, he sat up, and noticed a dull aching in his chest. Ah yes, he was dead. The realization of this fact slowly washed over him. Looking about, he realized he was in an airport terminal. A number of benches were set up in an open area by a hallway. Large windows to his right looked out on an empty airstrip. The sky was clear and blue, with no clouds in sight. The entire place seemed to be empty.

L looked down at himself, and found that he was dressed in his usual attire: a simple white shirt and jeans. He was of course barefoot. Cautiously, he swung his legs off of the bench and onto the floor. As he got to his feet, the pain in his chest faded. Moving in a near dream-like state, he walked away from the clutter of benches, and into the hallway.

L glanced in both directions, and noticed a pair of figures approaching from his left. They were both tall, and wrapped in white cloaks, which obscured all of their features. He turned to meet them, and nodded his head in greeting. The figures stopped before him, and one raised a hand in reply. The complexion of the hand was completely white, and the texture noticeably smooth, even from a mere visual examination.

One of the robed figures spoke, in a decidedly feminine voice "L Lawliet. Welcome to the afterlife. I am Erashi. This is Guriverl." She indicated the other robed figure, which remained silent.

L's face assumed a thoughtful expression for a moment, and then he spoke "It is a pleasure to meet you. I must say, the afterlife is not quite what I expected. Might I inquire, what exactly are you?"

"I am a goddess of life, as far as such things go. My people are the opposite of the Shinigami in some respects. You might call us angels, but we are beyond such things. It is difficult to explain our exact position."

L said nothing, but began to analyze this information in his mind. "So, what is it you wish to speak to be about?" he asked, guessing their intentions.

Erashi smiled. "Even in death, your skills have not weakened. However, it is just as well that we get to the point. Perhaps you would like to sit down? This may take awhile to explain."

L shrugged. "It is not necessary that I sit, if that is what you are implying. I will stand."

"Very well then, let us begin" said Erashi. "You are a rather unusual mortal. No, rather is the wrong word. You are an extremely unusual mortal. Your actions go above and beyond those of most other, across the various universes. Your talents and abilities are of course unnatural for your kind. The gods of life have looked down upon you since the day you were born, and they appreciate what they have seen. After much deliberation, they have decided that you are to be given another life. Not in the world you came from, but in another one. This is to prevent any paradoxes and the like. You see, the gods of light believe that there is much work left for you to do, in many worlds and universes. You were gifted with great abilities at your birth, by ancient powers beyond even our knowledge. Thus, we wish to prolong your natural existence for as long as possible. By the same token, the forces of death wish to end your life. The Shinigami responsible for your death was unwilling a pawn to these forces. Your rival, Light Yagami, is an unwitting servant to them. This is the case with many of the prideful and the foolish. He will fall in the end though, as they always do."

She paused for a moment, and looked down at L. "The reason we wished to speak to you, was so we could answer any questions you might have, before your reincarnation."

L nodded, and began to speak. "I do have a number of questions to ask. To begin with, what world will I be reincarnated into?"

"You will be reincarnated into the World of Imris. It is one of the Yokai realms."

"And why was that world chosen?"

"There is considerable good you could there. It is a delicate situation, to say the least."

L thought for a moment, before asking his next question. "Will I be reincarnated as a newborn?"

"Yes. You will have to relive your childhood and youth there."

"I suppose that was inevitable. However, will I retain my memories of my past life?"

"Yes, but you will be unable to speak to anyone about it."

L turned, and looked out the windows, at the empty world outside. "Is there anything else you think I should know?"

"Yes, there is one more thing. Being one of the Yokai realms, Imris is inhabited by magical creatures, in addition to the species you know of. These magical creatures are known as Yokai. As it stands, you will be born into a family of Wizard Yokai, meaning you will have the ability to wield magic. This will help set up your eventually goal in that world. Please though, pace yourself. It will look unusual if you excel too greatly at most tasks. Your mission is more important than any academic record or performance."

"And what is my mission?" L asked Erashi, and turned back to look at her and Guriverl.

"The Yokai and the humans of Imris do not dwell in harmony. The humans often become aggressive when they come into contact with Yokai. Thus, the Yokai hide themselves from the humans using magic. Your overarching mission in this world is to help establish a groundwork on which coexistence may eventually be built."

"So I will be aiding someone else with a similar goal?"

"If things go well, that will be the case. However, we cannot act unhindered. There are various forces which oppose us. It is hard to say what the eventually result of our currents plans will be. I'm afraid there is not much else I can tell you."

"I understand. Well, I suppose living a second life is a better alternative to dying."

"I'm glad that you understand that. We will be contacting you when you reach the appropriate age, if it is possible for us to do so."

"Well, I believe I'm ready to leave this place then."

"Farewell then, L Lawliet. May you have a happy childhood."

The terminal faded away around L, and a hospital appeared around him. L could vaguely hear what seemed to be himself screaming. There were bright white lights all around him. He then heard voices speaking. He could pick out two words amongst the babble. Rez Kelner. Oh well, he could have a worse name.

* * *

**Author's Note pt 2.: **This will be the last you see of any direct Death Note references or material. Also, to address what some people may be thinking:

This is not a fanfic where Tsukune is replaced with an OC. At the same time, I'm not a fan of harems, so we'll see what happens with that.


	2. Transitions

**Chapter Two: Transitions**

This Chapter is rated T.

Genres: Drama, Slice-of-Life

All words written in italics are character thoughts.

All words written in bold are either dates or locations (or both).

* * *

**Late July, 2008, San Diego CA, USA**

Rez sat at his desk, deep in thought. He had been accepted into the academy, and would be leaving in a couple of days. It would be an interesting change, transferring from a public school in California, to an obscure school in Japan. Word had of course spread, and Rez had heard whispers at his school.

"He's going out of the country?"

"Yeah, he was an emo loser before, but now it's confirmed. He's a loser."

"The school must be for "special" people."

"Oh, maybe he had to be sent to a special academy for cutters."

It was nothing new. Rez was quiet, and withdrawn. No one knew much about him. He was short, with black hair and blue eyes. He always wore the same outfit: blue jeans and a white shirt. He didn't have any friends, but this didn't seem to bother him. He never even spoke, unless he had to answer a question. His grades were near perfect. Somehow, despite this, he was rarely bullied. Those who wished him harm never seemed to be able to find him. He was certainly odd.

His first three years of highschool had been as ordinary as they could possibly be, with no notable events occurring. Though Rez seemed to be a prodigy, he had no interest in clubs or extracurricular activities. He spent much of his free time in his room, working on his computer. His parents seemed unconcerned though.

Rez's parents, Jonathan and Amy Kelner, were a wizard and a witch respectively. Rez had learned some magic from them, but had only ever used it to keep himself hidden from others. He was not one to hold grudges, or have malicious intents.

After several more minutes of contemplation, Rez got up from his desk. He looked down to the foot of his bed, where his suitcase was nearly packed-full. It would only be a couple more days before he left. Moving back over to his desk, he shut his computer off, and then headed for the door. Out in the hallway, he made his way to the stairs, and then down into the main den area of the house. His father was not yet home, and his mother was busy in the kitchen. He moved over to a window, and looked out if for a moment. The suburbs looked very peaceful. It was hard to believe that a family of magic-users could dwell in such a mundane place.

As far as Rez knew, his family members were the only Yokai in the area. He had never met any other wizards or witches, and certainly none of the more monstrous Yokai. He wondered what the other Yokai would be like.

Though some would fear leaving their homeland to study at a boarding school far away, Rez was not one of them. Normally, his only concern would have been the language barrier. Fortunately, Japanese was one of the languages he had mastered in his spare time. With this issue not being a problem, he was confident that things would go well.

* * *

**Beginning of August, 2008, Just outside of a Japanese town**

Rez watched as the small yellow bus pulled up. As it slowed to a stop, the door opened. The bus driver peered out at Rez. The man wore dark sunglasses, and his eyes almost seemed to glow. His cap further shadowed his face. He had a trim grey mustache. "So you're the new transfer student?" he said in a voice which reminded Rez of a certain Naval Investigator in a television program. Rez nodded "That would be me." "Get in then" the driver replied. Rez lifted his suitcase, and climbed into the vehicle. It was completely empty of passengers, so he took a place in the back, where there seemed to be the most room. As he took his seat, the bus door closed, and they drove away.

The ride was a slow one, but at last they entered what seemed to be a normal tunnel. As they drove through it, strange colors swirled along the walls around them. Rez watched with an analyzing eye. _So, this is some sort of portal,_ he thought to himself. After what seemed to be about ten minutes, the bus exited the tunnel, and drove out onto a bluff overlooking the sea. The sky and the water were both unnaturally tinted. Dead forest surrounded the area. A path led off into the forest. The bus stopped by what looked to be a scarecrow. Rez picked up his suitcase, and exited. He then turned, and spoke to the bus driver. "Thank you for the ride sir. I take it the path leads to Yokai Academy?"

The bus driver looked back at him. "Smart kid." The bus door closed, and Rez made his way over to the path. As he headed down it, he took in his surroundings. The woods were unnaturally quiet, and empty of inhabitants.

As Rez walk onwards, he got the distinct feeling that he was being watched. He glanced side to side with his eyes, being careful not to give any outward sign of his actions. In doing this, he walked straight into someone walking in front of him. They tumbled down together in a heap. Rez quickly picked himself up and looked over to the person lying next to him. It was a girl, about his age. She had dark blue hair, and dark brown eyes. She was dressed in the standard Yokai Academy uniform for girls: a checkered skirt, white dress shirt, and a green blazer. She pulled her head up, and looked over at Rez with an intensely unsettling gaze. He could almost feel the tension of electricity building up around her. "And you would be?" she asked in a whisper, which seemed to sound more like a battle cry to Rez. "The name is Rez" he replied, getting to his feet. He held out his hand to her. She accepted, and he helped her to her feet. "Well Rez" she whispered "My name is Tazira. Stay out of my way." She wrenched her hand away from Rez, and he felt a slight electric shock flow through him. Tazira turned, and strode away.

Rez scowled, and reached down to pickup his suitcase. The feeling of being watched was gone. He waited for another minute or so before continuing onward. He didn't want to run into Tazira again. The last thing he needed was an enemy before classes even started. Then again, he knew how to deal with enemies. He could simply avoid them. Of course, those were human enemies. He had no idea if his spells would hide him from other Yokai. He was also unsure as to what type of Yokai Tazira was. Her electrical powers didn't match any of the Yokai he knew of. Though to be fair, his knowledge of Yokai was primarily contained in a textbook on the subject his parents had given him for his 11th birthday. It was a classic tome, centuries old, written by none other than the great Merlin himself. Well, mostly great. There had been that incident with the witch and the betrayal.

The textbook which Rez had received primarily spoke of European Yokai. However, many of these same species dwelt in North America. Rez had limited knowledge of Yokai from other parts of the world. He had of course heard of the more popular ones in fantasy literature, but he didn't trust that knowledge too much. After all, how much could humans really know about Yokai? Most humans didn't even believe they existed, and ever fewer had ever seen one. Rez decided that he couldn't rely on books written by humans.

After several more minutes of walking along the path, Rez arrived at the school. It was a fairly large campus, with several separate sections from what he could see. After taking it in for a moment, he made his way towards what looked to be the main gate to the actual school buildings. A woman stood by the gate, almost in a sentry position. She wore a black skirt, a pink corset, and black high heels. She had brown hair, and seemingly pink eyes. She smiled as Rez approached. "Transfer student?" She asked. "Yes" said Rez, not bothered by her knowledge of him. She was obviously a witch. "You are Rez Kelner, correct?" Rez nodded in reply. "Nice to see a wizard is finally going to Yokai Academy."

Rez looked at her quizzically "It's unusual for wizards to come here?"

"Yes" the witch replied. "Most wizard and witches attend academies and university in Europe."

"I see." Rez considered this. He knew there were such institutions in Europe, but he was surprised that they catered to international students. He wondered how they compared to Yokai Academy. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about that now.

The witch pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it to Rez. "The pertinent information referring to the campus is on there. Classes begin tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM. Be prompt."

Rez smiled and nodded. He turned, and made his way down a sidewalk towards the dormitory section of the campus. While he walked, he looked over the paper the witch had given him. It gave a brief description of the campus facilities, as well as the classes he would be taking. In addition, a map of the entire school was printed on the back. A key was taped to the paper by the map. His dorm room number was written next to it, in red ink.

Looking over the map, Rez identified several main portions of the campus: the classroom buildings, the dormitories, the administrative offices, and the recreational and practical facilities. Using a bit of his magic, he highlighted important locations with a yellow tint.

Using the map, Rez quickly found his way to his dorm room. Setting his suitcase down, he carefully removed the key from the paper, and opened the door. Retrieving his suitcase from the floor, he headed into the room. He closed and locked the door behind him. The dorm room was surprisingly large, compared to what he had been expecting. It was divided into a living area/dining room, a kitchenette, and a bed room with a connected bathroom. The bedroom and bathrooms had separate doors leading into them, to ensure some additional privacy. Overall, he was happy with the layout. The dorm area was sparsely furnished, but it would do fine.

He carried his suitcase into the bedroom, and set it down at the foot of the bed within. He set the paper on the nightstand by the bed. The key he slipped into his pocket. Bending down, he opened his suitcase. It was of course enchanted, and could hold considerably more than it would normally be able to. It had also had blocking spells laid upon it, to prevent any of the airport security from noticing the metal and liquids within. Rez reflected on how fortuitous it was that few terrorists were wizards.

Removing a small cooler and a white box from the suitcase, Rez made his way over to the kitchenette. He was glad to see that there was a small fridge within. From what he had learned, no objects or devices involving computer chips or similar electronics functioned within the Yokai realm, in which the academy was built.

This was unfortunate, but Rez assumed it was an avoidable side effect of the magic used to hide the Yokai realm from human eyes. If this was the case, it was certainly a fair price to pay.

Within the kitchenette, Rez set the cooler and box down. They had been enchanted similarly to the suitcase, which allowed Rez to bring a number of foodstuffs and supplies with him. He was not one to trust food from unknown sources, no matter the credibility. Since the age of thirteen, he had magically inspected everything he ate. His diet was a strict one, with a balance of foods. However, no matter how hard he tried, he could not get rid of his taste for sweets. At times, it bordered on an addiction. Luckily, he had no interest in drinking or recreational drugs. In his mind, such things only served to damage one's health. He considered excellent physical and mental health to be crucial in maintaining his performance at academics. His exercise practices were habitual, with daily activity being crucial.

He opened the fridge, and examined the space within. It wasn't much, but it would do for now. He opened the cooler, and moved some of the foodstuffs within into the fridge. He then closed both the fridge and the cooler back up. He set the cooler and the box in the space next to the fridge, so that they were relatively out of the way. He then returned to the bedroom area.

Digging around in his suitcase again, he pulled out what looked to be a miniature washer and dryer. He set them in a corner of the room, and spoke the command words. They grew slightly, until they were each about the size of a couple shoe boxes stacked atop one another. Rez appreciated that his parents had gotten the magical devices for him. They were water-free, quiet, and the ideal size for the situation. With the dimensional gap within, they could wash the standard amount of clothes as well. They were not cheap, that much he knew. They had been imported from a specialty retailer in Germany. Rez reflected on how advantageous it was to come from a family of wizardly lawyers. It was certainly different than his previous life.


	3. Discoveries

**Chapter Three: Discoveries**

This Chapter is rated T.

Genres: Drama, Slice-of-Life

All words written in italics are character thoughts.

All words written in bold are either dates or locations (or both).

* * *

Issa set down the tome which he had been studying. He was thoroughly enraged by this point. His daughter had given a human Shinso blood. A human! But even worse, the human had survived the majority of the mutation. If he survived for a couple more months, he would be reborn as a Shinso himself. However, Issa had to admit, the boy must be a remarkable specimen to even be able to accept the blood into his body. To think that one could go from being a mere human, to the most powerful type of vampire. This was a truly unique occurrence, as far as Issa could find. None of the historical texts he had read through during the past few months mentioned any such events in the recorded history of vampires.

Still, it added up. The writings of several of the great vampire scholars pondered over the possibility that a human could be turned into a Shinso. But to think it could actually occur continued to trouble Issa. Few humans had ever survived the change into a normal vampire. Only two had ever been changed into a greater vampire. Tsukune Aono would be the first to ever be changed into a Shinso.

The greatest insult of it all to Issa was this: that his daughter had been the one to do it. Worst yet, it seemed she was in love with the boy. The irony! Issa prided himself on being the head of one of the ancient vampire households. His wife was none other than the queen of all vampires. Of course, that came with both pros and cons. Issa was still troubled by how he had been forced to lie to his two younger daughters. Perhaps if they knew the truth of their heritage, they would act more appropriately.

Kokoa was obsessed with defeating her sister in a fight, so much so that she neglected many of her other responsibilities to focus on training. Not to mention that she was headstrong and arrogant. Issa was only glad that her Shinso powers had not yet matured. Once they did, he suspected they would need to be contained, similarly to Moka's.

As for Moka, she was either cold and ruthless, or innocent and affectionate, depending on which side of her was out. Issa knew it was the best way to keep her powers in hand, at least until she learned enough to control them, but he still had reservations concerning the use of the Rosary to keep her under control. Though, it also served to hide her Shinso heritage, which protected her from enemies of the vampires as well as dissidents within the empire.

Fortunately for Issa's sanity, he had two elder daughters, who were considerably more balanced. Kahlua and Akua had both gained control of their Shinso powers several years ago, and were nowadays off helping their mother.

Issa walked across his study, and peered out the window at the mountains outside. Even for a vampire, it was sometimes lonely living in such a remote area, now that all of his children were gone. His wife Akasha rarely visited either. One could hardly call the servants good company. Issa scowled. _Ah well, you have to give up some things to get to where I am._

Turning away, he returned to his seat. Perhaps things would work out for Moka in the end. Some day she would gain complete control over her powers, and the outer personality would be able to merge with her inner personality once again. Issa hoped that Moka would gain control sooner rather than later. As for the soon-to-be-vampire she loved, Issa hoped that the boy survived the transformation, for Moka's sake.

* * *

**Early August, 2008, the next day after pt. 2 of Chapter Two**

Rez made his way into the classroom inwardly confident. His outer appearance of course met the standards, but was nothing special. His uniform was clean, and he had groomed himself enough to look presentable. He made his way to a seat near the back, which he had specifically requested about a month prior to the beginning of the semester.

He looked around the room as other students arrived. Using his knowledge of Yokai, he attempted to identify their monstrous forms, based upon their mannerisms in their current human form. Some were easy: such as the werewolf, and others he couldn't tell for sure. It would perhaps be easier if his knowledge of Eastern Yokai was greater. He would have to do some research on the subject. Perhaps the school library had some books on the topic.

As the beginning of class neared, Rez noticed an interesting group of Yokai enter the room together. It seemed to be one guy, about his age, surrounded by a small crowd of enthusiastic females. Assuming the male wasn't a huge pervert, Rez pitied the poor guy. The situation was still somewhat amusing. Two of the girls seemed to be in the midst of an all too loud disagreement on "who Tsukune really wanted." Rez assumed that Tsukune was the male surrounded by the harem. One of the girls fighting had pink hair, and wore the standard Yokai academy dress. The other had purple hair, and wore a yellow sweater over her uniform. That was certainly strange for the current season.

In addition to these two girls, there were two other girls walking behind "Tsukune". One was obviously a witch, and made no attempt to hide it. She even had a rather comical hat on, reminiscent of those used in Halloween costumes back in the US. This girl seemed to be considerably younger than the others. This meant that she was obviously intelligent and likely academically advanced.

After a moment of consideration, Rez's eyes moved over to the last girl. She was dressed considerably more casually than the standard Yokai uniform, and Rez wondered how she had gotten away with this. She had light purple hair, which was a nice length. Her eyes were a light shade of blue. She wore a checkered skirt, a white sweater with blue sleeves, and purple leggings. She had a belt tied to her left leg. Looking at her, Rez felt a strange emotion enter his mind. It was not something he often experienced. He wanted to get to know this girl, one way or another.

After several moments, this unusual group of Yokai made their way to their seats. The one who was obviously a witch sat to the left of Rez. She looked over at him. "You new here?" she inquired. Rez nodded, but said nothing. "You don't look like you're Japanese. Where're you from?"

"Overseas" Rez replied quietly.

The girl turned away again, satisfied with this answer. She began talking to the pink-haired girl. Rez returned his view to the classroom entryway.

As the beginning of class continued to approach, the last student entered the room. It was Tazira, the girl who Rez had unfortunately encountered the day before. Her seat was directly in front of him, and she glared back at him as she sat down. Rez looked down at his binder, which he had of course brought with him to class. He considered his current situation and his plans for the day during the remaining moments before class.

The morning classes passed quickly, at least for Rez. The material was quite easy for him, and he was sure that he would get excellent scores on any tests he took. As the last class of the morning (mathematics) ended, Rez made his way towards the cafeteria. The halls were filled with students heading in a similar direction, and Rez wasn't particularly comfortable being in such a compromising situation. After all, in such a large crowd, it would be relatively easy for someone to attack him. _Paranoia has downsides_, he thought unhappily.

The rush was over soon enough, and Rez entered the cafeteria. He looked around momentarily, and then made his way towards an empty table in a corner. Rather than eat the provided food, he pulled a small bag out of his pocket. He whispered a spell, and the bag grew into to an insulated lunch bag. Opening this, he reached in and pulled out the food and drink that he had prepared earlier that morning.

As he began eating, Rez scanned the room, looking for the group of Yokai he had seen earlier. He saw them all sitting together at a table across the room from him. He continued to eat his meal. When he was finished, he stuffed his reusable water bottle back into the bag, and shrunk it back down. He then put the bag back into his pocket. Getting up, he made his way back out of the hallway, and headed for his the next classroom. He would get there about a half an hour early, but that was acceptable to him.

By the time he was halfway to the classroom, Rez was surely he was being followed. The stalker had tried to match his or her footsteps with Rez's and had done so almost perfectly. However, Rez could tell that the sound emanating from the combined footfalls was not quite the same as his normal footsteps.

He made no visible signs that he had noticed his watcher, but instead headed to the classroom as he had originally planned. Upon entering the classroom and finding it empty, he immediately moved into a position by the door, which would just out of sight of someone outside the classroom. He realized that any intelligent stalker wouldn't directly enter the room. He looked over to the door, and was glad to see that there was a window in the middle of it. The classroom itself was dark, but the door was propped open at such an angle that the hallway outside was reflected into the window within the door.

In this reflection, Rez could see a girl standing outside in the hall, watching him. She was in a position in which it would have been impossible to see her from within the classroom without the aid of the window. Rez admired her skill, though it was perhaps not as great as his was. Looking at her again, he realized that she was part of the group of Yokai which he had been observing earlier. She was the purple-haired girl. Even though there was a wall between them, he could still feel an unnatural cold emanating from her. So, perhaps she was some sort of Ice-based Yokai. Based on her human form, he doubted she was a yeti. Perhaps she was an ice drake? He would find out soon enough.

After preparing himself for a moment, he nimbly darted out into the hallway. The girl fell back, obviously surprised, but remained her chill composure. Rez noticed that she was sucking on a lollipop. "So, you were following me" he said quietly. "Yes" she replied, in a similar tone.

"Why were you following me?"

"Because I wanted to know more about you. You're new here, right?"

Rez nodded in regards to her question. "I take it you don't like talking to people? You seem to enjoy talking to the other members of your little group."

The girl made minimal visual signs, but Rez could tell she was uncomfortable. She said nothing in reply to his question.

Breaking the silence, Rez spoke "I am Rez Kelner. And you are?"

"Mizore Shirayuki" the girl replied in a quietly, which seemed to be her normal volume. She had a very monotone voice, almost exactly like his. He liked the way it rang in his ears. It had a melodic quality to it, even though it was primarily devoid of emotion.

"It is good to meet you Mizore-san." Rez said, with a slight smile.

Mizore returned the gesture, and then asked "How did you know I was stalking you?"

"Ah" replied Rez "That is my little secret. I have some skill in stalking myself, and I recognized the signs."

Mizore looked a bit upset at this. "So this means I won't be able to stalk you anymore."

Rez smirked. "I'm afraid that is the case. Though wouldn't you prefer to stalk Tsukune-san?"

Mizore looked up when he said this. "How do you know I stalk Tsukune?"

"I came to said conclusion via deduction, Mizore-san. You are part of a group of female students who seem to romantically admire him. It only makes sense that someone who enjoys stalking and watching others while remaining unseen themselves would attempt to do this to the object of their affections."

Mizore showed just a hint of surprise at this. "And why do you think I enjoy stalking people?"

"Deduction is once again my primary skill. I believe that you were watching me when I arrived at the academy yesterday. However, you could have also been watching Kazira-san, since she was on her way to the campus as well. This leads me to believe that you take pleasure out of watching others, or at least remaining unseen. I do have to give you some credit though: while I knew that I was being watched yesterday, I never actually saw you. So it is only fair to say that you have some talent for passing unseen when you wish to. This talent further drives my case, as to hone such a skill; you would need to practice regularly. Now, unless you are training to become an intelligence agent for some government authority, it would seem that stalking is a pastime of yours."

"You're a wizard, aren't you?" said Mizore, phrasing it as more of a statement than a question.

"I'm afraid I can't divulge my Yokai status, due to the fact that it is against school rules."

Mizore nodded in admission of this fact. "That rule is not exactly followed to the letter. Plus, wizards are like witches, right? That means you're not exactly a full-blooded Yokai. You're only sort of a Yokai."

"There is no need to insult me. Wizards are just as much Yokai as Ice Drakes or Yeti" said Rez, a bit perturbed by her passive aggressive manner. He had no wish to get into a fight on the first day of the semester. He then realized the major tactical blunder which he had committed. Not only had he all but revealed himself as a Wizard, but he had revealed his suspicions as to her Yokai nature. How could he have been such an idiot?!

Mizore laughed, very softly, but a laugh nonetheless. It was a strange sound, and almost sounded unnatural coming from her, though Rez wasn't sure why.

"Just as I suspected" she said "You are a Wizard. I knew you reminded me of Yukari, simply by the way you carried yourself. You seem to be less of a pervert than her though. I have to say, that's a relief. I couldn't deal with having a perverted witch and wizard on campus. Then again, maybe they would go after each other. Then again, Yukari isn't much to look at. So, are you a pervert too?"

"No, of course not" said Rez hastily.

"I didn't think so. I mean, based on the files the academy has on you, you seem like a nice enough guy."

"The files the academy has on me?" Rez asked incredulously.

"I looked over them last night."

"And how did you get access to the files?" Rez asked, becoming concerned.

"I snuck into one of the administrative offices. Don't worry, only about five percent of the student body could get in there, even if more want to."

"Five percent is still enough to kill you" Rez said with a scowl.

"Paranoid. Just like the files said. Pray tell, are all native Californian Wizards like that?"

_So it is true. She does know about me_, Rez thought, already weighing out the consequences of this in his mind.

"Depends on your definition of paranoid" Rez lied, buying for time.

"Oh, you can stop that. I have the papers here. It's not like anyone else is going to get them."

She reached into the front pocket of her sweater, and pulled out several pages of rolled-up paper. She unrolled them, and waved them at Rez. He could see his picture on the front of the first page. He lashed out to grab them, but she pulled them away just in time. Rez tumbled to the ground.

Quickly scrambling to his feet, Rez looked over at Mizore. She was sliding the paper back into her sweater pocket. She looked up, and smiled at Rez.

"You know, you're kind of handsome. The information in your file is safe with me."

Rez grimaced, but said nothing, realizing how useless it would be to argue with her.

Rez realized he was flustered, and he wasn't happy about it. But what was he supposed to do? He hadn't trained much back in the Human realms to deal with love and attraction. After all, human girls never really turned him on. In the words of his father "They just don't shine as brightly as a Yokai, no matter their bust size". Those were words of wisdom to be sure. He decided it was best to make a tactical retreat at this point.

"Well, class is going to start soon" he said carefully.

"We're right next to the classroom, and we still have twenty minutes before class starts. Not buying that crap."

_Oh well, it was worth a shot_, Rez thought.

"Then again, I suppose I need to get back to my friends. One more thing though. I'm a Yuki-onna, you baka!" She said this in her standard monotone voice, and Rez struggled not to laugh. He did manage to restrain himself in the end.

Mizore barged past Rez, and left him standing there, feeling sufficiently idiotic. Apparently Yokai weren't as easy to deal with as humans were. Things were going to be interesting.


	4. Adjustments

**Chapter Four: Adjustments**

This Chapter is rated T.

Genres: Drama, Slice-of-Life, Romance, Angst

All words written in italics are character thoughts.

All words written in bold are either dates or locations (or both).

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rosario Vampire.

* * *

**August 16****th****, 2008, Yokai Academy**

Rez walked into the school library. It was larger than he expected, and he seemed to be the only person in it at the moment. That was fine by him. It had been several days, but he had finally made time to come here, and do some research. He had managed to avoid Mizore and Tazira since the first day, and he was confident he could continue to do so. It did help that Mizore hadn't tried to stalk him again. What he wished to find out was more about Yuki-onna, mainly what exactly their powers were. He knew that a Yuki-onna was a Snow Women, but beyond that he had minimal knowledge of them.

He now wondered where in the library he could find books pertaining to the Yokai species. Looking around, he could see that the library was divided into several sections based on the category of books in that section. He made his way over to the section on culture and social studies. After scanning the shelves for several minutes, he found a book on the culture and society of the Yuki-onna.

Taking the book, he walked over and sat down at one of the tables in the middle of library. Opening the tome, he began to read. The writing style was a bit dry, but it served his purposes well enough. It went into fair detail regarding the Yuki-onna species, their culture, and their homeland within the Yokai realms.

By the time Rez was done reading the book, it was getting fairly late. He decided it was time to return to his dormitory. After returning the book to its shelf, he exited the library, and made his way towards the dormitory complex. As he headed down the path, he saw another student approaching from the practical facilities, where the various school clubs met. Rez had not been forced to join one of these yet, and wasn't particularly interested in doing so.

As the other student got close enough to see in the dying light of the evening, Rez realized it was the guy with the harem following him around. Ah yes, 'Tsukune'. Rez decided it might be worthwhile to at least speak to this male who had attracted such a following. Rez waved a hand in greeting. "Good evening."

The other student looked over at Rez. "Good evening to you as well. I don't believe I know you. I'm Tsukune Aono."

Res smiled "Rez Kelner. And I'm a transfer student, so that might be why you don't know me."

Tsukune nodded "That makes sense. I think I may have seen you in class before. So, which club do you belong to?"

"I haven't actually joined a club yet" Rez admitted. "Is it necessary?"

"Yes, as far as I know. If the teachers find out you aren't part of a club yet, they'll probably assign you to one."

Rez scowled. "That doesn't sit well with me. Say, which club do you belong to?"

"I'm part of the Newspaper Club. We publish the Yokai Gazette. It's the weekly school newspaper."

"Well, could I possibly join your club?"

"I think Ms. Nekonome would allow that. Why don't you come to the club tomorrow after classes? I can talk to her about it."

"Okay. That sounds fine. By the way, I wanted to congratulate you."

"Why?"

"You seem to have a very successful love life."

Tsukune blushed. "It's not what you think. I'm not a pervert or something. Girls just like me for some reason."

Rez raised an eyebrow. Tsukune wasn't exactly the pinnacle of male fitness or physique. He looked quite normal to Rez. Well, perhaps he had a persuasive personality when it came to women.

"I see" said Rez. "Well, enjoy it, Tsukune-san. It's called good fortune."

Tsukune smiled weakly. "Okay. It's just that I normally receive a lot of criticism from others in regards to my… friends."

"Well, that is only to be expected. Most guys want a harem. They just don't get them."

"Wait a minute. They aren't my harem. They're just all in love with me."

Rez smirked. "Ah. I'm very sorry. I apparently misjudged the situation. So, I'll see you tomorrow then, Tsukune-san."

"Very well, Rez-san. I'll see you then."

Rez and Tsukune made their way to the boy's dormitory area, and then parted ways, each heading to their own dorm room.

Rez wasn't particular thrilled about having to join a club, but he realized it would look better to join one of his volition, rather than being forced into joining one. He wanted to keep up as good a record as possible in all aspects of his public life.

* * *

**August 17****th****, 2008, Yokai Academy**

Rez exited the classroom. The classes for the day were now over, and the students were making their way to their respective clubs. Rez decided to follow the crowd, since all of the club facilities were located in the same portion of the campus. This portion was known as the "practical facilities". A rather amusing name, Rez thought. Certainly not the name he would have given facilities used by after-school clubs.

Upon reaching the practical facility section of the campus, the flood of students began to break up into individual groups, and head off to their specific clubs together. Scanning the area, Rez picked out Tsukune and his harem, and moved to follow them. Rez walked fast enough to keep pace with them, but not fast enough to catch up to them. He could see Mizore was part of the group, and he didn't feel like talking to her at the moment.

After several minutes, the group entered what was apparently the Newspaper Club's "clubhouse". Rez waited for about a minute before entering after them. While he waited, he studied the building. It was unmarked, and gave no sign as to what its purpose was. The shingled roof was a standard triangular shape, with sloping sides.

Upon entering the building, Rez found himself in what seemed to be a meeting room. The members of the Newspaper Club were seated around a table. Besides Tsukune and his group of admirers, Rez could see the witch who had greeted him at the gates on the day he arrived and a slightly younger girl with flaming red hair. He could also see Tazira. Things kept getting better and better.

As soon as Tsukune noticed that Rez had arrived, he got up and walked over to greet him. "Ah, Rez-san, please join us." He indicated an empty seat at the table, and headed back over to sit in where he had been seated before. Rez followed, and took the seat indicated.

"Well Rez, we're glad to have you joining the Newspaper Club. I imagine introductions for all our members are in order" said Tsukune. Rez nodded in agreement.

"Well, as you know, I'm Tsukune Aono. I'm the president of the club."

"This is Ruby Tojo." Tsukune indicated the witch whom Rez had met earlier. She was dressed in similar attire as she had been then. "She is our adviser."

"This is Kurumu Kurono." Tsukune indicated the blue-haired girl who was part of his group of followers. She was dressed in simple white shirt, a yellow vest, and the standard school skirt. She wore a red bow-tie. And even Rez had to admit that she was highly attractive. She was the type of women who was deadly to guys with anemia. Rez was glad that he had mastered the art of suppressing the type of nosebleeds which just wouldn't quit.

"This is Mizore Shirayuki." Tsukune indicated Mizore, who seemed to always have the same outfit on. She smiled at Rez as he looked over to her. He felt a chill run through him, but not an unpleasant one.

"This is Moka Akashiya." Tsukune indicated the pink-haired girl who was part of his harem. She was dressed in the standard school uniform for girls.

"This is Yukari Sendo." Tsukune indicated the witch who had spoken to Rez in the class room several days before. She was still dressed in the rather amusing witch costume.

"This is Kokoa Shuzen." Tsukune indicated the red-haired girl, who was dressed in the standard school uniform for girls.

"And this is Tazira Carevul." Tsukune indicated Tazira. She was dressed in the standard school uniform for girls as well.

"I am pleased to meet all of you" Rez said politely.

"Well now that we are done with the introductions, I suppose its time to get to on to business" Tsukune said.

Rez spoke up. "So I take it you spend most of your time doing research and writing articles?"

Tsukune nodded. "Yes. Ruby is the one who oversees the actual composition and printing. It's not too long, so each of us usually only writes two articles. We also try to cover two or three news stories in the Gazette each month, assuming we can find some that are interesting. So far this semester, we haven't had much success with that.

"So what exactly do you write articles about?" Rez asked.

"Well, it depends on your interests. Kurumu and Moka like to write articles about various fashions around the human world. Mizore writes about food and cooking. Yukari writes all sorts of informative articles about various cultures and trends. Kokoa writes about various combat and war-related topics. The school is well-informed on historic weaponry." Tsukune smiled awkwardly at this. "Of course, we all write articles about other things as well. You just have to check on the topic with Ruby-san, to make sure it's fit to print."

"Seems like a logical process" Rez remarked. "So, what exactly do you discuss at your daily meetings?"

"We look over the articles we've written, and proofread them for each other. We also discuss possible school news stories to cover."

"Okay. Well, don't let me delay the meeting any further. I'll do my best to contribute in any way I can."

"We're glad that you're joining us" Tsukune said with a smile. He then turned to Moka. "Moka-san, why don't you go first?"

Moka set a folded piece of paper onto the table. She unfolded, and slid it over to Tsukune. "I wrote an article on the latest fashion trend in America. It's all the rage. I think the poka-dotted outfits look so cute. Apparently bright hair colors are all the rage. Isn't that great?"

Tsukune scanned the article, before passing it over to Kurumu. "Excellent writing as always Moka-san" he noted. "I'm sure the readers will love it."

Kurumu looked over it. "It looks fine to me. My article is similar, but it's about the British version. Brits are so much more dignified than Americans; don't you think so Tsukune-san?"

Rez rolled his eyes when he heard this.

Tsukune carefully said "Kurumu-san, Rez-san is from America."

"Oops" said Kurumu. "I didn't mean to insult your homeland. Sorry."

"It's fine. A lot of the Americans I knew back home weren't that dignified."

"So Rez-san, since you are from America, maybe you could verify the accuracy of Moka's article" Kurumu said with a smile, and handed Rez the paper.

Rez looked over at Moka and Tsukune, who were both looking at him with their anxiety showing. He looked down at the paper. The article was well-written, with no grammatical errors as far as Rez could see. It was penned in a neat script. The content on the other hand was completely inaccurate as far as he could tell. It didn't match up with any fashion he knew of. But from the way Moka and Tsukune looked, he knew it would be wrong to disregard the article. Moka had obviously worked hard on it. Rez was sure that Kurumu was hoping the article would be incorrect, just to distress Moka. Rez thought quickly, and lied with an excellent imitation of confidence.

"Well Moka-san, I have to say I'm impressed. You know your fact, that's for sure. This style is 'in' back in the Eastern US. You are certainly a talented writer."

Tsukune looked visibly relieved, and seemed to lean back a little in his seat, as though he had leaned in to hear Rez's verdict.

Moka beamed at Rez as he handed the paper back to her. "Thank you Rez-san. I'm so glad I didn't make any mistakes."

Looking over at Kurumu, Rez could tell she was somewhat disgruntled. He could understand that both she and Moka were competing for Tsukune's affection, and he didn't want to get in the middle of their competition. But he also didn't feel like it would be good to upset Tsukune. It was obvious to Rez that Tsukune was in love with Moka, and that if she was shamed, it would hurt and possibly anger him.

Tsukune looked over at Kurumu. "So, Kurumu-san, perhaps you would like to share your article?"

Kurumu looked up from the table, which she had been staring at intently. "Sure." She reached into a pocket of her vest, and pulled out a piece of paper, which was folded similarly to Moka's. She unfolded it, and handed it to Tsukune. He examined it, and then handed it to Moka. "It looks alright." He then handed over to Moka.

Moka took the paper, and began reading it. She quickly pulled out a pencil from her blazer pocket, and made some correction to it, before handing it back to Tsukune. "There" she said "It's correct now."

Rez looked back over at Kurumu, who was once again staring at the table intensely, as though she was trying to memorize every minute contour and detail of the finished wood. He couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her. She was doing her best to impress Tsukune, but was doomed to failure in the end.

The rest of the meeting passed relatively fast. Mizore had written an article regarding how to prepare a difficult traditional Japanese dish. Rez wasn't familiar with it, but it sounded good. It also sounded healthy, which was a plus in his book.

Yukari had written two articles, one about Irish fairies, and the other about the reclusive spirits who lived in the Himalayas. She obviously had a vast repertoire of knowledge, superior even to Rez's. He wasn't sure how accurate her articles were, but they were certainly interesting to read.

Kokoa's article was simply a detailed look on the types of swords used in Western Europe during the early middle ages. It was part one of a three part series, according to her. Rez found it a bit too dry and technical for him, but it was also on a subject in which he had no interest. He imagined it must be a masterpiece to classical weapons enthusiasts.

Tazira's piece was unlike the others, in that it was a poem rather than an informative article. She read it aloud to the club before passing it around. It was a detailed free-form poem, in the haiku style. It described a thunderstorm above a forest, and several events which occurred during this storm. Rez enjoyed hearing it, as Tazira's voice seemed to add an extra dimension to the poem.

When the meeting was finally over, the majority of the club dismissed. Tsukune stayed to talk to Ruby about finalizing the details for this month's issue. According to him, it was too late for Rez to write an article for this issue, but he could start on one for the next issue.

The club members left in small groups. Moka headed off to study, followed by Kokoa. Yukari left immediately afterwards, along with Tazira. Rez mentally breathed a sigh of relief as she exited. Mizore left next, waving to Rez as she did so. He waved back politely.

Rez remained seated while the others departed. He was hoping to talk with Tsukune about his ideas for an article. However, Tsukune and Ruby had gone into another room, taking the drafts of the articles with them. Rez was thus left alone in the main meeting room. No, not alone he realized. Kurumu remained seated as well, still looking down at the table. Looking closely, Rez could see her eyes were wet with tears.

"Kurumu-san" he said softly "I'm sorry." She looked up at him. "How's that gonna help?" she asked, looking up. She was on the verge of crying. "It just looked like you needed someone to empathize with you" Rez said, pulling out a tissue from his pocket. He always kept some on hand, in case dust got into his nose. He handed the tissue to Kurumu. She wiped her eyes with it.

Sniffling, she spoke. "It's just, I can't lose him. It would kill me. He's my destined one."

It immediately clicked for Rez. Kurumu was a succubus. They fed off the love of their "mate of destiny". To be continually rejected by this person meant a slow suicide which could last over several years before the succubus died. Rez knew plenty about succubi. Merlin had harbored what could only be termed an "unhealthy obsession" with this species of seductress Yokai, and had devoted a good portion of his writing to them.

"And you don't want to simply turn him into your love slave by kissing or charming him" Rez stated.

"That's right. I want him to love me for what I am. Also, I don't want to drain the life force out of him."

"You do know that only happens if the succubus is simply using the man. If she truly loves him, making him her love slave will not drain his life force."

"Really?" Kurumu asked, seeming a bit surprised.

Rez simply nodded.

"I still don't want to do that though. Plus, inner Moka would kill me before she let me do that. Outer Moka wouldn't like it either."

"Why do you speak of Moka-san as if she was two different people?" Rez asked, wondering what she meant.

"Because she is. Moka-san is a vampire. One of her forms is kept inside the rosary she wears. You've seen it, right?"

Thinking back, Rez did recall seeing Moka wearing a rosary attached to a choker on her neck. "Yes" he replied.

"She has two completely different personalities. The Inner Moka is kept inside the rosary. The Outer Moka is the one you see all the time. Inner Moka is released when the rosary is taken off. She can also speak through the rosary. Neither of the Moka's likes me much."

"I think I understand what you're saying" Rez said thoughtfully.

"I need to go now" Kurumu said, getting up. "Thanks for comforting me." She turned and left.

Rez watched her go, but said nothing. He decided he wasn't going to talk to Tsukune about ideas for

Rez waited for several minutes, before Tsukune returned to the room. He looked over at Rez oddly. "Why are you still here?"

"I wanted to talk to you" Rez replied.

"What about?" asked Tsukune, sitting down across from Rez.

"About your admirers."

Tsukune immediately began to fidget. "What about them?"

"Which one do you love the most?"

Tsukune moved to get up, but Rez grabbed Tsukune and pulled him back down.

"I promise I won't tell them." Rez said.

"It's not really something I want to talk about" Tsukune said. "Why are you so interested in my personal life?"

"I'm not. I merely think you should make a choice. You know that Kurumu-san is a succubus, correct?"

"Yes, I'm aware of that."

"I guessed as much. Now, do you understand the concept of a succubus's mate of destiny?"

"I've heard Kurumu-san use the term. She says that I'm her "mate of destiny"."

"And do you know what would happen if you rejected her in favor of Moka?"

"Well, she says that losing me would kill her, but Kurumu-san does have a tendency to be a bit overdramatic."

"Not in this case. Succubi feed off the love of destined mate. To be continually rejected by them means death. In effect

Tsukune-san, you are slowly killing Kurumu-san."

Tsukune gaped at Rez. "I had no idea" he said slowly in shock.

"If she dies, her blood is on your hands" Rez remarked.

Tsukune had quickly become quite pale. "But, I can't kill Kurumu-san. What am I supposed to do?"

"You love Moka-san above all the others, correct?"

"Yes" Tsukune said, resting his head in his hands.

"Do you love Kurumu-san as well?"

"Yes. But not in the same way as Moka-san."

"Still, it is good that you do care for her some. What of Yukari-san and Mizore-san? And please, be completely honest."

"Well, Yukari-san means well I know, but I don't really love her. She is a bit too young, if you know what I mean."

"I understand your sentiments perfectly."

"As for Mizore-san" Tsukune continued "I don't want to hurt her by telling her, but she is more disturbing than endearing. I

don't enjoy being stalked too much."

"She stalks you frequently?"

"Well, I don't think she has been lately. At least, I haven't seen her. She's been acting a little odd since the semester began.

She normally stalks me every day."

Rez wondered what the implications of this change could be, but he decided to ponder that later.

"Well then Tsukune-san, I think you need to let at least Yukari-san know that you aren't ever going to be her lover."

"It's not as simple as that. Yukari-san is a pervert. She wants to have a threesome with me and Moka-san."

Rez raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh, really? So she swings both ways. How interesting."

Tsukune shrugged. "Don't ask me why she's that way. She's a strange young witch."

"I suggest you come up with a plan before you leave the academy. This will not simply end then you know. Your "followers" are

attached to you. They won't let you go easily. I'm afraid there isn't much I can do to help you, other than informing you on any

facts you wish to know. Right now however, I must take my leave. I have some studying to do."

Tsukune looked significantly troubled, but stood up. "Goodnight then, Rez-san. I'll see you tomorrow."

Rez got up, and headed for the door. "I hope you come to a resolution, Tsukune-san. Not simply for your sake."

* * *

Rez exited the clubhouse, and walked out into the night. The sun had set, and Rez couldn't see too well. Perhaps he shouldn't have stayed so long. He decided to use a bit of magic. Whispering a simple spell, he created a small globe of cheery yellow light in his clenched fist. Opening his hand up, the globe floated into the air, and hovered next to him. As he set off on his way, it flew along beside him. He was glad for the illumination it provided. Moving at a swift pace, he made his way back towards the dormitories.

As he was walking, Rez realized that he heard footsteps behind him. Whoever was following didn't seem to be making any attempt to hide their presence. Mentally preparing a combative spell, Rez turned around. Mizore was following him.

"Mizore-san, I didn't know you were still out and about" he said curiously. He did his best to look distant and reserved. He didn't want to let his affections for Mizore control him again.

"I was waiting for you, Rez-san. I wanted to talk to you."

"I'm listening."

"Well Rez-san, I've been stalking you since you arrived at campus, and I…"

"Wait" Rez interrupted. "I though you stopped stalking me after I caught you outside the classroom?"

"No, I just was more careful after that."

Rez was rather disturbed by this fact. He wondered if it was actually true. If it was, it meant he wasn't being observant enough.

"Prove you've been stalking me. Tell me what I had to eat last night."

"You had a sandwich on wheat bread, with lettuce, tomatoes, deli turkey, and mayonnaise. I assume it's an American thing. You began eating at 7:24 P.M."

She really been had been watching him, Rez realized. She even knew the exact time. He always checked the clock when he began eating, as it was a habit of his. However, that was irrelevant. What was relevant was that Mizore had been stalking him, and he hadn't noticed.

"You know, maybe now isn't the best time to talk" Mizore said, looking down at the ground. She moved to walk past Rez. He reached out his hand, and stopped her. He turned her to look at him. "I'm still listening."

Mizore looked up at him, and smiled. She was sucking on a lollipop, which seemed to be a consistent practice for her. "Well, I've been watching you, and I've decided that I'm in love with you."

Rez raised an eyebrow in surprise. He thought carefully before replying. Could it be possible that she felt the same way as he did? Based on her personality, she did seem like the sincere type.

"Mizore-san, I… feel the same way about you."

"You do?"

"Yes. You seem like a truly caring person."

"I listened while you talked to Tsukune-san back at the clubhouse. I heard what Tsukune-san said about me."

"Oh, Mizore-san, I'm so sorry" Rez said. He hadn't meant for Mizore to hear that.

"It's okay Rez-san. I still care for Tsukune-san, but I don't want to be his lover anymore. You're the one I want now."

Rez could feel an oddly calming chill emanating from her as she said this.

Mizore stood up on her tiptoes for a moment, and kissed him for a moment. "I need to get back to my dorm. Goodnight Rez-san." She walked away, and disappeared into the night.

"Goodnight, Mizore-san" he called after her.

Well, at least things were "interesting" in a good way.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

My apologies if the writing is a bit stiff in this chapter. I know my style isn't for everyone. If you have a comment or complaint, please post it in a review. I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Also, I know there may be a few grammatical errors. Once again, my apologies. I will try to do better in the future.


	5. Living

**Chapter Five: Living**

This Chapter is rated T.

Genres: Drama, Slice-of-Life, Romance

All words written in italics are character thoughts.

All words written in bold are either dates or locations (or both).

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rosario Vampire.

* * *

**August 22****nd****, 2008, Yokai Academy**

Rez sat down across from Mizore at the table in the cafeteria. The Newspaper Club members were sitting together on this particular day. Mizore looked over at him, with what some might've called a "blank stare". Rez knew better than this, and assumed it was simply one of the ways in which she showed affection. As was daily stalking, he assumed.

Most of the others at the table were engrossed in their own conversations, so Rez figured it would be alright to begin talking to Mizore. "So, Mizore-san, how were your morning classes?"

"They were alright." She replied.

"I was wondering if you might like to go for a walk with me tonight. To spend some time together, and talk a bit."

"That would be lovely, Rez-san."

"I'm glad you think so. I'll meet you around 7:00 PM, if that's okay with you."

"Where do you want to meet?"

"How about we meet over by the club buildings?"

"That sounds fine."

Rez smiled at Mizore. He was interesting in learning more about her. Based on her personality, he expected she

had a similar interest in learning about him. Rez specifically wanted to know more about her past.

Mizore smiled briefly back at Rez, and reached her hand out across the table. He grasped it, and squeezed it lightly.

"You two are kinda cute" Yukari said, looking over from where she sat.

Rez looked over, to see that Yukari was leaning up against Tazira, who was sitting next to Yukari.

"We could say the same about you two" Mizore remarked.

Yukari blushed a bit, and Tazira looked over at her. "You okay Yukari-san?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm with you."

Rez rolled his eyes. The mindset of some people continued to surprise him, mainly in their irrationality and inconsistencies. The best way to describe Yokai emotions, it seemed, was "Like a human's, but more so."

* * *

Rez leaned up against the wall of the Newspaper Clubhouse, waiting for Mizore. It was fairly dark, and the main source of illumination came from the magical sphere of light Rez had created. It was small, and fit into his palm nicely. He was currently levitating it in the air before him.

After a couple more minutes, Rez heard someone approaching. Seconds later, Mizore stepped into the area lit by the sphere. She walked over to Rez. "Good evening, Rez-san. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. And yourself?"

"Things are getting better."

Rez grinned at this statement.

"So" he said thoughtfully "Shall we take a walk?"

"I'd like that."

Rez took her hand, and they began walking down the path through the recreational facilities.

"Rez" Mizore whispered into his ear in a teasing tone "Tell me about your home back in America."

"No need to ask so seductively" he replied with a raise of his right eyebrow.

"Just practicing for later" Mizore said, and let go of Rez's hand. She leaned over on him a bit, and he wrapped his arm around her waist, steadying her.

"So, what do you want to know about America?"

"Well, I'm mainly interested in the culture. Are the people over there like the people in Japan?"

"Somewhat. American culture is a bit more relaxed. For example, they don't use honorifics at all."

"Then how do they show respect for others?"

"Respect isn't exactly something that is stressed in America. Most people are more concerned with just living with others, even if they don't like them. There is a considerable amount of racial tension as well. There are parts of the U.S. which are nice enough, but there are many dangerous places as well."

"Shouldn't the government be keeping such things under control?"

"They try. Sometimes their attempts work, sometimes they don't. Just as in any part of the world, there are problems in America."

"Okay, but I don't really want to hear all the bad things about America. Tell me what the people you knew in California were like."

"I lived on the coast. The beach was a big thing. Most of the guys at my school liked to surf. Some of the girls did too. There was a fair bit of partying. Some issues with underage drinking and drug use. Nasty stuff, the lot of it. I was sort of an outsider. I was always labeled as "Emo", or "Scene". Not that I cared. I never had any friends. I was the quiet type. People couldn't figure me out. They only thought they could."

Mizore frowned. "Sounds lonely. Like I was before I came to the Academy. I'm not quite sure I understand all the terms you used. For one, what exactly is surfing?"

"Hmm, makes sense that you wouldn't know what surfing is. Have you ever been to the beach before?"

"No. I'd never left my homelands before I came to the Academy."

"Well, you know what snowboarding is, right?"

"Yeah, it's popular among the Yuki-Otoko back home."

"Interesting. You speak of the male counterparts to your people, correct?"

"Yes, that's right."

"But I'm getting off topic. To answer your question, surfing is similar to snowboarding, except it is on water instead of snow. At least, that is my perception of it. To be truthful, I have never actually surfed, or had any interest in doing so."

"I see. It sounds kind of interesting to me."

"Maybe, but I was never one for recreational activities."

"What did you do in your free time then?"

"I worked on my own personal studies, or my exercise regime. Though I might not immediately look it, I am in good physical condition."

"So, I was also wondering, what did you mean by 'emo' and 'scene'?"

"Those are types of fads that exist in America. You could also call them mass-cliques. They basically consist of angsty girls and occasionally guys dyeing their hair various colors, and listening to supposedly 'deep and emotional' music. It's a trend that will die out in a few years. I was simply thrown into that category because of my distant demeanor and my typical attire at that time."

"I take it Americans are somewhat shallow?"

"Not all of them. No different then most places in the world really. Perhaps Yokai are simply more aware of others' emotions. No, I take that back. Some Yokai are more aware of others' emotions. Such Yokai do not include Orcs, Ogres, and in general the more violent Yokai."

"I guess that I was simply lucky that my people are more caring. At least most of the time. When they are angered, they become violent quite quickly."

"So then, Mizore-san, perhaps you could tell me more of your people?"

"That sounds fair. What is it you want to know about my people?"

"Perhaps you could tell me some things about your childhood?" Rez asked. He already knew a fair bit about the Yuki-Onna's culture, and was really only interesting in learning more about Mizore specifically.

"Okay. But you have to promise to tell me more about yourself as well. Not just about California. About your life there."

Rez nodded. It seemed she had similar motivations as he did. "I promise."

"Then ask away."

"What sort of things did you enjoy doing back in your homeland?"

"What sort of question is that? How is that going to help you learn about my people?"

"Mizore-san, I already know most things about your people."

"You mean, you know about our customs and such?"

"Yes. And I specifically know that you must be married by the time you are seventeen, or be forcibly married off to help preserve your species. That's why you are taking things very quickly with me."

Mizore looked down guiltily. "I simply don't want to be treated as an object. I truly do love you though."

"As long as that remains true, I have no problem with becoming your husband."

"You don't? But, you said I was taking things too fast."

"Perhaps for a normal human you would be. However, I'm a wizard with an advanced mental capacity. After talking to you that first time, I devoted considerable thought to you, and I realized I was in love with you."

"You manage to make it sound so unromantic. You manage it quite easily actually."

"I don't do romance. At least not the textbook-type romance. There are rarely true feelings in that sort of romance. It is merely an act, a façade forced upon the young by an a society who has no concept of morality."

"I take it that's a very human thing?"

"In many parts of the world, yes."

"You really do share my feelings then. That's comforting."

"Yes. I do share them. And as I said, I will agree to marry you, to satisfy the customs of your people. Of course, you'll want children as well. And we'll only have a short window for that."

"Your knowledge of my people is fairly extensive, isn't it?"

"I did do some research regarding your species and their culture. I felt it would be necessary if I was to interact with you."

"So then, about the questions you were going to ask me. You don't really want to know about my homeland, do you? You want to know about me."

"Correct. Just like you would rather know more about me, instead of learning more about America and California. This is fine by me."

"Well then, I guess I should answer your original question regarding what sort of things I enjoyed doing back home."

"That would seem to be the logical course of action."

"Well, I suppose I like several different activities. I liked to ski. I enjoyed taking walks in the woods, to watch the animals that lived there. I would often become involved in mock battles held by the other young Yuki-Onnas and Yuki-Otoko. It was a form of activity and entertainment, as well as good training for actual combat."

"So, most of your activities were more physically active?"

"Well, I liked to write poetry as well. Sitting in the branches of this one tree I liked."

"I have to say, I enjoy reading poetry."

"Really? Do you write any?"

"Occasionally. It is a good way to express emotions."

"Yes. I have had issues with loneliness and depression most of my life."

"I know those feelings. Perhaps we can take comfort in each other now, since we have both felt similar pain."

"How do you know our pain is similar?"

"Well, perhaps the causes for it were different, but in my mind, most emotional pain feels similar on some level."

"Oh. Well, I guess my pain comes from the fact that my life always seemed sort of empty. My relationship with my parents deteriorated as I got older. I never had many friends, until I met Tsukune and his group here at the academy. I was a very shy girl."

"Well, if you ever find that you need to talk to someone about your sorrow, I'll make time to listen."

Mizore smiled bitter-sweetly. "Thank you Rez. You are a very caring person."

"I guess I am. In truth, to me it seems like those who hide their emotions, and often seem distant, are those who have the deepest and truest feelings."

"I'd say that is pretty accurate."

Rez nodded. "My theories tend to be correct. Not that I take great pride in that. I don't take great pride in much. Arrogance is not a good quality."

"No, it isn't. I'm glad you're not arrogant. I don't think I could love you if you were. I hate arrogant people."

"As do I" Rez replied thoughtfully. "Though perhaps in my case, hate is too strong a word."

"Rez, over the winter break, I want to take you to my homeland. My parents will want to meet you. After all, we'll probably be engaged by then."

"Well, Mizore-san, that is still a ways away, but I promise I will go with you when the time comes. Assuming I am physically able."

"What are you talking about? You think you'll be dead by then?" Mizore asked with concern.

"No, no. I simply can't predict the future."

"I thought wizards could do that?"

"Only some of the most powerful ones can. And even then, there is still a chance that the future may change before the foreseen events occur. No one can accurately predict with one hundred percent certainty. At least, no one in this world can."

"That's too bad."

"Why?"

"I think it would be a great skill to be able to accurately see the future."

"Perhaps. But it would have its downsides as well."

"Such as?"

"Would you want to know the exact moment when each of your loved ones was going to die, and how? And knowing at the same time, that no matter what you did, you couldn't stop it from happening?"

"But couldn't I just do something to alter the future?"

"You said accurately predict the future. Meaning that you would know what was actually going to happen. What you should have said was 'accurately predict the future as it currently stands'. That could possibly be a skill. Of course, in the end, the result would probably still be the same as if you had the power you spoke of. It is hard to say, since I'm purely speculating. Magic is a curious and strange thing. It does not follow any rules per say. Some wizards, such as Merlin the Great spend most of their lives trying to understand all the nuances of magic, and in the end they only ever grasp a small portion of it. A wizard who could truly comprehend every part of magic in its entirety would be infinitely powerful, assuming they discovered a way to bend magic to their every whim. The ability to do this would be a likely result of gaining of complete understanding of magic. It may be fortunate that know wizard or witch has ever achieved such power. After all, the psychological changes associated with the achievement of such power, would be, to say the least… personality-altering."

"You seem to have thought deeply about the subject."

"I think deeply about many things. I merely choose wisely what things I just rant on about, to maximize the amount of boredom I can inflict on the chosen victim."

Mizore looked puzzled for a moment. "Rez, was that a joke?"

Rez grinned. "I have a twisted sense of humor."

Mizore rolled her eyes. "Yeah."

"However, my thoughts on the subjects of wizardry and magic are completely sincere. I do feel strongly about it. On the other hand, I would not normally go into such a detailed discourse to describe my feelings in regards to them."

"Can we talk about something else?"

"Sorry. I may have played by boredom card a little too forcefully. What do you want to talk about?"

"You said you would tell me more about your life in California."

"That I did. Where should I start first?"

"Well, you said you didn't really have any friends. Did you have any pastimes or hobbies?"

"Well, I spent a fair amount of my time working on my various studies. I endeavored to become an expert in as many areas as possible. I'm interesting in becoming a private investigator at some point, or something else of the sort."

"So, you really didn't do much for leisure then?"

"Not particularly, no."

"So, do you have any interests of your own, which aren't related to your work?"

"Well, I do pride myself in my musicianship."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I enjoy music."

"What instrument do you play?"

"Well, actually, I can play several different instruments. I am an experienced guitarist and keyboardist, and I've played bass a couple times."

"I should have guessed you would be some sort of prodigy in that area as well."

"Well, I suppose so. I am quite good at it."

"So, if you enjoy music so much, what type of music do you listen to?"

"Well, I personally favor punk rock. The classic stuff, and some of the 90s revival. Not the newer stuff, with all the false emotion and ideals in it. Punk rock is supposed to about individuality and defiance, not complaining about your love life, or the lack thereof. At least that's my opinion."

"Oh. I've never really heard punk rock before. The only rock I've ever heard is stuff from the 60s and 70s."

"Well, I'll have to play one of my albums for you sometime. The CD of course. The audio quality is so much better than on an mp3."

"I'd like that."

"So, what sort of music do you enjoy, Mizore-san?"

"Rez, you can drop the honorifics."

Rez stopped for a moment, but then nodded. "Very well Mizore. What type of music do you like?"

"I like music with flutes in it. Quiet, melodic music."

"Yes, there is something to be said for music of that sort. It certainly aids relaxation and concentration for me."

"So then why do you listen to rebellious rock music?"

"Because I like the challenge of trying to concentrate while it's distracting me."

"That makes very little sense."

"Ah, but it does. In an odd way. It is a way for me to test myself. I like to test myself quite often."

"You are very interesting, Rez" Mizore said with a smile, and turned to embrace Rez.

* * *

**A/N:  
**This is the last conversation heavy chapter I'm writing (and I mean very conversation heavy). There will still be some dialogue, but I find it too tedious to build an entire chapter mainly around a conversation. As usual, I apologize for any grammatical errors, and any lacking in writing style. Thanks for reading.


End file.
